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Sales Coach now is a global sales training and sales coaching service that produces quantum leap results by empowering entrepreneurs and sales professionals with effective, on-purpose selling skills.Thu, 23 Jul 2015 21:01:25 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.77 Reasons Your Prospect Will NEVER Call Youhttp://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/07/7-reasons-your-prospect-will-never-call-you/
http://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/07/7-reasons-your-prospect-will-never-call-you/#commentsThu, 02 Jul 2015 16:11:02 +0000http://www.salescoachnow.com/?p=4427I LOVE teaching Sales Camp, our signature two-day sales training course. It is where I am truly at my best, where I get to give as much as I can to my clients, and where I get to see phenomenal breakthroughs and “aha” moments happen right before my eyes. As I tell my clients, THIS is my “high.” No question.

One of the “wide-eyed” breakthroughs that always happens during Sales Camp is when I inform the class that, statistically, your prospect will never call you. Ever. Everyone usually stares back at me like I am crazy as they wonder why they ever started their own business or got a sales career in the first place.

And then I ask, “Why SHOULD your prospect call you back?” Really? Why should they call you back?

Think about it.

Statistics tell us that you have to call your prospect at least five times before you will close a sale with them. Yes, five times. And that’s average, which means sometimes it will take you even MORE calls.

So, take a long look at the pile of dusty business cards on your desk because I’m about to help you transform that pile into blocks of gold. Seriously!

Are you ready?

I’m going to share the “7 Reasons Why Your Prospect Will Never Call You” and I hope it helps illuminate why it is important for you to shift your belief now. I also hope that it helps you release your fear about picking up the phone.

They see you as the expert. If your prospects see you as the expert, they aren’t going to call you. In fact, they are going to wait, and wait, and wait for you to call. If they see you as the expert in what you do, they are going to expect that you will follow up with them to talk about the next steps. My guess? Some of your prospects are waiting for you to call them back right now.

They aren’t thinking about you. This might be a painful surprise for you (or not), but some of your prospects aren’t thinking about you. Not at all. They are thinking about what they are going to eat for breakfast. They are thinking about the argument they had with their boss. They are thinking about their next sales meeting, etc. They are thinking about so many other things that they just don’t have time or space in their brain to think about calling you back.

They are at the spa or on the golf course. Even better than not thinking about you is that they are at the spa, they are golfing—or they are just doing something super fun. And, while they are doing that “fun thing,” they aren’t thinking about calling you back. In this moment of fun they might not even remember that they talked to you. But don’t let that stop you from calling them.

They don’t know they need you or your services. Well, darn it, why didn’t they “get it” when you met them at the networking meeting? Because you haven’t had a meeting with them yet. You haven’t had a moment to enlighten them on all of the amazing things your product or service will do for them. They haven’t had a chance to soak it all in. So, this is a reminder that you have to call them to set an appointment so they can understand exactly why they need your products or services.

They might be talking to someone else. Let’s face it. You probably aren’t the only person who offers your product or service and you certainly won’t be the last! I recently had an entrepreneur attend one of my events and afterwards they shared with me that they had been talking to two other sales trainers before they decided at the last second to come and hear me speak at a free event. I’d met them before and I was glad that we followed up when we did because that entrepreneur became a long-term client.

They lost your number. Okay, this happens. I’ve lost numbers of people that I would have loved to buy from and they NEVER followed up with me. Don’t underestimate the possibility that a prospect simply lost your card or your number. No matter what, they aren’t going to call you if they don’t have your number. So this is your reminder to pick up that phone.

They might be waiting for your call. I saved the best one for last! The best response you could ever receive when you call a prospect is, “I’ve been waiting for your call” or “I was just thinking about you!” Try not to jump up and down in that moment because they are about ready to buy from you. And, thank goodness you followed up.

The truth is, your prospect will never call you back. But, that’s okay because now you know why. It’s truly not about you. As Don Miguel Ruiz teaches us in his international best-selling book, “The Four Agreements,” you can decide to not take things personally. In fact, the faster you understand that it’s not about you and the more energy you put into helping and serving your clients, the faster you will reach your sales goals.

]]>http://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/07/7-reasons-your-prospect-will-never-call-you/feed/05 Ways Learning How to Sell Will Transform Your Lifehttp://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/06/5-ways-learning-how-to-sell-will-transform-your-life/
http://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/06/5-ways-learning-how-to-sell-will-transform-your-life/#commentsFri, 05 Jun 2015 16:57:18 +0000http://www.salescoachnow.com/?p=4417There are a ton of transformational training opportunities everywhere these days. I’ve experienced many different types of transformational training and it’s changed my life in profound ways. What I find interesting, though, is that sales training isn’t typically considered “transformational.”

Random House Dictionary tells us that to transform means “to undergo a change in form, appearance, or character; become transformed.” After transformational training, like a butterfly, we metamorphose into a new, hopefully better, version of ourselves.

Well, if that’s the case, becoming a professional sales person and then eventually starting my own business was THE most strenuous self-development training I’ve ever been through. It definitely forced me to transform, to change, to metamorphose into a new version of me.

Can you relate?

Selling, whether for someone else or in your own business, forces you to deal with all of your limiting beliefs about yourself. It forces you to confront your deepest fears. It forces you to deal with the past and every time you’ve been rejected in your life and more.

In other words, selling forces you to grow or get out.

When you learn to sell—and to sell well— you will find that selling will allow you to grow into the leader you always knew you were but were afraid to let shine.

Right now we have an epidemic out there of people who are afraid to raise their hand and admit they don’t know how to sell. It’s almost as if they believe that they are just supposed to know how to do it. The truth is that selling is a skill that is learned over time; it’s not a skill that you are born with. Even top sales professionals have honed their selling skills over years, not months. They have dedicated themselves to the art and profession of selling.

I’d like to encourage you to dedicate yourself to the art of selling as well. In my experience, people who succeed in selling live better lives. Why? Because they make more money, they have more confidence, and they recognize that they are in control of their destiny.

My intention is to encourage you to explore the ways in which selling could transform your life and how that could impact your family, your future and more.

5 Ways Learning How to Sell Will Transform Your Life:

1. You will make more money. What would you do with more money? Really, what would you do? I was speaking with a regional sales director of a large, well known corporation recently and we were discussing the training he wanted me to provide to his team. One thing he said over and over again is that he wanted his team to reconnect with their “why”—why they really want to make more money. What will they do with it? Who will they help? I had to agree with him that knowing their why could make a huge impact on their ultimate success. When we are clear on our why, we don’t stop; we keep going. What’s your why? Take a moment and write down the three reasons you want more money in your life.

2. You will live a better life. What would you like to change about your life? When you sell more, you make more money and when you make more money, you can live a better life. You can also create a better life for your family as well. Plus, you will most likely impact your clients in a bigger way as well, creating a domino effect. What three things are you tolerating in your life right now that you would like to change? Write those three things down and make a commitment to change them this month.

3. You will be able to give back more. My guess is that you give a lot of your time away to non-profit organizations. And that’s amazing! But what if you could give more money in addition to your time? What would that be like for you? All of my clients want to give more, but they are often hindered by a lack of time and a lack of money. Selling more and making more money can give you your time back so you can donate more time as well as money. If you had more money, who would you give it to?How much would you give? Answering those questions will help you stay on track and keep calling, even on the days you want to give up.

4. In the end, you will KNOW that selling is much easier than you ever thought it might be. If there’s one thing that I hear over and over again from my clients who attend Sales Camp (our two-day sales course), it’s that selling is much easier than they thought it would ever be. Once you “get it,” you will never look back. You will be able to call the prospect (yup, the one that scares you beyond belief) in spite of your fear. Your new belief will be, “Selling really is easy.” Who would you call if you believed selling was easy?

5. Your confidence will soar. When you “know” how to sell, you will be confident beyond belief. And, the more confident you become, the more you will sell. People will see your confidence and they will be so certain that you can solve their problem that they will be throwing credit cards at you. Seriously, that’s what happens when your confidence grows. Plus, rejections will not shake you and you will be able to clearly communicate no matter what objection comes up. You will also discover that “no” might actually mean “not yet,” and you will schedule the next step rather than crossing them off your list. Who are three prospects you would love to sell to? That’s what confidence can do.

You wouldn’t be reading this article in this moment if you weren’t ready to transform your life through selling. It’s time. Take advantage of the opportunity that’s right in front of you. Implement the steps above and leap to your next level of success!

]]>http://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/06/5-ways-learning-how-to-sell-will-transform-your-life/feed/011 Ways to Sell More this Monthhttp://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/05/11-ways-to-sell-more-this-month/
http://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/05/11-ways-to-sell-more-this-month/#commentsTue, 05 May 2015 15:10:39 +0000http://www.salescoachnow.com/?p=4053What if this could be the month you break through your financial set-point?

Do I have your attention now?

Most people seem to sell the same amount every single month. Or, they have an awesome month, but the following month is tough and they fall behind on their sales. It’s kind of like a roller coaster. Sound familiar? That number is YOUR financial set-point. You can also think of it as your “sales average”—or that average number you keep running into month after month.

You don’t have to be on that roller coaster. The key to consistent selling is to shift your financial set-point once and for all so you can develop a consistent high level of sales every month. My goal is to share the most important things you can do to make that shift, stay on track every month, and reach your goals. And, most importantly, so you can sell more this month!

11 Ways to Sell More this Month:

1. You have 15 days, not 30. We are trained to think that every month is comprised of between 28 and 31 days. For the sake of simplicity, let’s say we have 30. That’s a problem! Why? Because if you think you have 30 days in a month to reach your sales goal, you won’t have a sense of urgency in the first part of the month, which will kill the rest of your month. Instead, I want you to think you only have 15 days in the month. Imagine if you had to have all of your sales in by the 15th of the month, what would you do differently? How much would you sell the first few days of the month? The first week? Do you see how that changes everything? Try it! Or, if you have a sales team, have them try it.

2. Speak with intention by using “when,” not “if”. You’ve probably heard this before. It is better in a sales conversation to use “when,” not “if” when you talk to a client. This shows the client that you actually WANT to do business with them. You’d be surprised how much your intention to help them and the use of “expectant” language will help you close more sales.

3. Expect it. We started to address this above already, but I really want you to begin to expect to get the sale rather than to think that you won’t. Most people spend way too much time worrying that they probably won’t get the sale that they miss the opportunity to actually expect it. When you expect the sale, you use different words, you sound more confident and the client actually believes you want to earn their business. What a concept!

4. Give choices. People feel in control when they have choices. However, sales professionals and entrepreneurs usually talk themselves right out of the sale when they ask close-ended questions (“yes/no” questions) instead of offering choices. Watch how your sales rise when you give your prospects more choices (from options to meet to options for packages).

5. Call more than five times. Statistically, 50% of sales professionals only make one call to their prospects and then they give up. One call, that’s it! Statistics also tell us we need to follow up at least five times if we want to close a sale. When is the last time you followed up five times? Okay, don’t answer that. Instead, make a decision to start following up more, or at least until you close the sale.

6.Connect with intention. I wrote a lot about this in Selling with Intention. The key to connecting with intention is to imagine that the person in front of you is the only person in the world at that moment. He or she is the only person who deserves your attention in that moment. When you give people that amount of attention, and you stop thinking about everything else on your to-do list, you’ll be surprised how many more sales you close.

7. Set a sales stretch goal. If you’ve known me for a while, you’ve heard me talk about the critical importance of having a sales stretch goal. If you are my client, it is a non-negotiable item. Why? Because without a sales stretch goal you will not grow your sales. Sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t have one. If you don’t create a stretch, you will stay in the exact same place. Or, even worse, you will go backwards.

8. Define your top 20% and call at least five of them. Stop working with clients who waste your time. You know who they are! They aren’t a good fit because they don’t appreciate your products or services, they don’t pay on time, they never refer, they only see what’s wrong, etc. Determine who your top 20% of clients are. Who is your favorite client? What are their attributes? What would it be like to work ONLY with clients like that?

9. Track it. Clients who track their sales regularly often double or triple their sales in a short amount of time. Why? Because they know exactly what’s in their pipeline. A good rule of thumb is to know that approximately 25% of your pipeline will close on any given month. Now, refer back to #7 above. Review your sales stretch goal and then determine how much you need in your pipeline if only 25% of it will close every month.

10. Follow up. Follow up again. And again. And again. And again. Just in case you missed #5, I wanted to make sure to review it with you again. I truly believe that this is where most sales professionals and entrepreneurs fall short; they don’t follow up enough times. It’s not that the client doesn’t want to do business with you. It’s that you haven’t given them enough of an opportunity to say “yes.”

11. Sit there until you get a “yes.” When you are meeting with your next prospect, I want you to imagine that your back side is actually glued to the chair. You aren’t allowed to leave that meeting until one of two things has occurred. Either you have closed the sale and you have their payment information or you have a next step on the calendar.

Are you feeling unstuck? Maybe even excited about selling again and what is really possible?

Fantastic! Then my mission is accomplished.

Oh, but wait, there’s more.

Joel A. Barker said, “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.” You need more than ideas. The next step is to take action!

Of the ideas above, I want you to pick three you can implement this week. And three you can implement the week after. And three the week after that. And two the last week of the month. Put them in an order that makes the most sense and that gives you a sense of inspiration. For example, I would recommend implementing #1 first.

This really can be your best month! Just take the time to create your plan and follow through!

]]>http://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/05/11-ways-to-sell-more-this-month/feed/0What is the Story You Are Telling?http://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/04/what-is-the-story-you-are-telling/
http://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/04/what-is-the-story-you-are-telling/#commentsWed, 08 Apr 2015 14:36:19 +0000http://www.salescoachnow.com/?p=3947On April 13, 2014, I moved with my husband, Tim, and our six-month-old son, Lucca, back to my home state of Minnesota. For many years we lived in the question, “Should we move back to Minnesota and be close to family, or should we stay in California?” There was a story that we told ourselves for years that went something like, “I can’t keep my business in California if we move back to Minnesota, especially if we have kids. Tim will never find the kind of opportunities in Minnesota that he has in California.” And on and on the story went. Well, guess what? The story wasn’t true. A year after our move I can confidently tell you that we are living our most prosperous, joy-filled lives yet including lots of family time as well.

But we had to change our story and what we thought was possible. We had lived in that old story for so long that we weren’t even open to the possibilities anymore.

And then one day it hit me. We are so stuck in our limiting thoughts and beliefs and so focused on the negative aspects of what might happen that we haven’t even considered the flip side—the possibility that Minnesota is just waiting for us to create a new and powerful story.

Then we started to ask a new question: “What if living in Minnesota allows us to do everything we’ve been dreaming about and more?” We started to discuss the idea, dream a little bit, and we began to write a new story.

Now, when I say, “we wrote a new story,” I mean that we started to talk about all of the amazing potential possibilities that were waiting for us in Minnesota. As we did more research and spoke with family members, we realized there were lots of wonderful job opportunities for Tim. For Sales Coach Now and for me, Minnesota is the fourth most entrepreneurial state in the union. Who knew? We realized that the real estate opportunities were ripe with possibility. And, since we’d be living near family, we wouldn’t have to spend all of our holidays flying across the country. We could start to travel to all of the spots we’d been dreaming about. (Did I mention we LOVE to travel?)

And then the path unfolded in front of us–much faster than we had imagined it might. In fact, it unfolded so quickly that we shocked a lot of our dear friends and clients in California because we moved so quickly. But when you tell a new story and you start to get excited about it, I promise you, the doors WILL open and you have to be ready to go.

Was it a perfect or easy move? No. There were challenges along the way. And yet, there were so many parts of the year that flowed easily. Sometimes so easily that Tim and I just smiled at each other and wondered, “Why did we wait so long?” Why did we wait so long to move? To have Lucca? To trust in our new story?

I recently had the honor of delivering a keynote at the NAWBO-SB Bravo Awards. It was a powerful experience, listening to the stories of the awardees regarding how they had launched and grown their businesses. And that’s what they told–their stories. What was even more interesting was that as they told their stories, they also shared how they dreamed about their businesses. They spoke about how long they had thought about creating them. They had written their stories. And then they lived their stories.

So, what about you? What’s the story that you have been telling yourself over and over again about why you can’t grow your business? Create a new product or service? Sell your business? Or, _______? Your story is uniquely yours and it is also the reason why you are stuck exactly where you are.

The good news is that you can change your story and step into a new life. However, be prepared. Once you let go of your old story and begin to step into the new one, things can happen rapidly. So be prepared and make sure you are clear on what you REALLY want.

3 Simple Steps to Tell a New Story

1. Acknowledge the current story you’ve been telling yourself. Write it down. Go into detail and notice all of the beliefs that you hold within that story. Then tear that story up and put it into the garbage.
2. Write down three things that maybe aren’t true about that story. For example, maybe you think that your sales aren’t increasing fast enough because you are comparing yourself to someone else’s business. Perhaps what’s not true about that is you HAVE sales coming in AND you have amazing clients.
3. Write a new story. Be as detailed as possible and include everything that you REALLY want. What have you been dreaming about? Write it all down.

Once you’ve stepped into a new story, it’s possible that obstacles will pop up that might try to stop you from moving forward. It’s almost like you get tested to see how badly you really want something and what you will let stop you. Often, it’s those first steps right outside of your comfort zone that will be the scariest that you will need to push through.

Napoleon Hill, in Think and Grow Rich, talked about being three feet from gold and that most people stop when they are really close to their goal.
But that won’t be you. You can push through. I know you can. Just don’t ever stop. Just write your new story…

]]>http://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/04/what-is-the-story-you-are-telling/feed/08 Easy, Low-Cost Ways to Market (With Intention)http://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/02/8-easy-low-cost-ways-to-market-with-intention/
http://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/02/8-easy-low-cost-ways-to-market-with-intention/#commentsTue, 24 Feb 2015 16:25:25 +0000http://www.salescoachnow.com/?p=3855One of the complaints I often receive from clients is that they don’t have enough people to sell to.

What does that tell me?

It tells me that they aren’t marketing.

When I ask them why they aren’t marketing, they tell me it’s because they don’t have a budget. There is a strong belief amongst small business owners and sales professionals that marketing is expensive or that you have to have some special knowledge.

Well, I’m going to debunk that belief because I know it’s not true! I launched my company a decade ago without a marketing budget and I did whatever I had to do to grow my business. Most of the things that I did I definitely did not WANT to do, but I knew that I didn’t have a choice if I wanted to be successful . So I did them anyway. For example, I started speaking for free to market my business and services. Speaking was filled with fear for me so this was not an easy path for me. I also networked whenever and wherever I could, especially if it was free!

The truth is, you do have to market so that you have prospects to sell to. It’s that simple. However, marketing doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Sometimes it doesn’t have to cost anything.

I’m going to share 8 easy, low-cost marketing strategies that you can implement immediately so you have more people to sell to. You don’t have to do all of them, but choose those you are most drawn to doing and then do them consistently—that’s key! Most people give up on marketing or they aren’t consistent with it, so it never works.

You can also try them all and see which ones you like best. I’m guessing that you are already doing some of them. But if they aren’t working, it might be because you haven’t done them long enough to really have proof.

8 Easy, LOW-COST Marketing Strategies to Implement NOW!

1. Speaking: I have speaking listed first because it’s one of the marketing strategies that I implemented early on in my business. Initially, as I mentioned above, I hated speaking. Actually, that’s an understatement! However, I stuck with it and over the years it paid off immensely. I grew my database by thousands and thousands and some of my clients have been on my list for ten years. Speaking is one of the fastest ways to get out in front of many people at the same time. Plus, it positions you as an expert in your field, which means that your prospects will trust you, what you are saying, and your products and services. The best part about speaking is that you can actually GET PAID to market and sell, or at least get a free lunch or dinner. Think about it.

2. Networking: I’m sure that if you are in business, it’s likely that you’ve attended some kind of networking event. The question, though, is did you get any leads? Most people are so afraid of looking like they are selling at a networking event that they don’t even get a chance to make any good connections. The truth is, you are ALWAYS selling, even if you are just connecting with someone. The key to networking is to ask a lot of questions, keep control of the conversation, and figure out if you might be able to solve a problem for this person or company with your product or service. A big tip with networking is that you really need to network where your Top 20% of clients hang out. I was working with a client recently and we realized that she was networking at places that her Top 20% would never be. She then knew immediately where she SHOULD be networking and I have no doubt that her sales will go up simply by hanging out with the right prospects. If you are networking at the right places, you should have a good return on your investment. In fact, the cost should be outweighed by your return.

3. Social Media: If you aren’t on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter yet, then I highly recommend you find someone that can help you get on. To me, social media is really about staying connected with your network—new and old. By staying connected and keeping a “conversation” going, you can then make casual invitations to take the next step with you. Although social media doesn’t always have an immediate impact on sales (although it can), it is a critical part of your overall marketing strategy. Smart marketers know social media is tied to your projections and your business plan. Social media isn’t free when you have someone doing it for you (whether they are part of your team or a company that you’ve hired), but it’s much more effective to have support and a strategy. There are many awesome companies offering social media strategies today.

4. Email/Online : Once you’ve been out speaking and networking enough, you can begin to build your database. Your database is the best way to keep in touch with your clients, colleagues and prospects and let them know when you have new offers coming out or FREE events or opportunities that they might have interest in. The key to staying in touch with your database is to send enough emails to be interesting and make invitations, but not so much that they begin to tune you out. From there, you can expand your online presence and begin to use videos, Facebook ads, Google ads and more. While you can do some of this yourself in the beginning to keep your costs down, eventually you will want your team or an outside company to assist you.

5. Direct Mail: For a while, I think the world thought the days of direct mail were over. However, I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen a strong resurgence of mail hitting my mailbox. It’s more sophisticated than ever, and it still works. I can see it still works by the mountains of credit card applications and glossy advertising magazines I receive. The key to direct mail is standing out. If you are going to send something, how will it make an impact with the recipient so they take action? Obviously, there is more direct cost here, so the key is to be very strategic with how you implement direct mail.

6. Cold Calling: If you were hoping that cold calling was dead, it’s not! In fact, cold calling can be a fantastic way to get new clients and we still teach people how to do that during our two-day Sales Camp courses. My clients are pleasantly surprised when they find out they can make a successful cold call that yields results. It’s also a fast way to get in front of your Top 20%. After all, they are just a phone call away. Other than the cost of your phone service and your time, this strategy is FREE.

7. Warm Calling: Warm calling IS marketing and it is simply following up with someone after you meet them at an event or when someone refers you a prospect. Statistically, with cold calling and warm calling, you need to call someone five or more times for ultimate results. Most people quit after the first couple of calls. Don’t let that be you. Warm calling is another FREE strategy. Simply invest your time.

8. Strategic Partners: Strategic Partners, or “Referral Partners,” are those individuals or companies who share your client base and are willing to market to their list on your behalf. The best strategic partner relationships are reciprocal, meaning that if I market to my list for you, you will do the same for me. It’s a phenomenal way to get in front of your Top 20%. Successful online marketers will tell you it’s the key to their success. This can be a phenomenal FREE way to market. The time invested will be in developing the relationships of the individuals or companies you want to partner with.

Next, I want you to ask yourself some questions so you can create a plan:

Which marketing strategies have you had the most success with?

What hasn’t worked?

Which strategies are you most consistent with?

Which strategies would you like to add to your marketing plan?

Whatever you decide, make a commitment to yourself that you will be consistent with your new plan for a minimum of ninety days. It takes at least three months to see what’s working and to also develop a habit that will ensure you are consistent.

Are you still thinking? Don’t wait! Decide to take action today so you can begin to see results soon!

]]>http://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/02/8-easy-low-cost-ways-to-market-with-intention/feed/03 Sales Mindset Breakthroughs You Need NOWhttp://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/02/3-sales-mindset-breakthroughs-you-need-now/
http://www.salescoachnow.com/2015/02/3-sales-mindset-breakthroughs-you-need-now/#commentsThu, 05 Feb 2015 15:34:23 +0000http://www.salescoachnow.com/?p=3676This year is already full speed ahead for me and my team! I’ve had speaking engagements in California and Minnesota. No matter where I go, entrepreneurs and sales professionals are struggling with the same things: fear, limiting beliefs and just not knowing what to do next.

The economy seems to be going strong. So, compared to the recession, you would automatically think people would be doing better.

But they aren’t.

And when they weren’t doing well during the recession, it wasn’t about the recession anyway.

It was about their mindset and where they were getting stuck.

But, please note, I don’t want you to beat yourself up about not reaching your sales goals. It’s NOT about that. What it IS about is developing an awareness of where you are getting stuck so you can figure out how to shift it.

I’m going to share three of the top Sales Mindset Breakthroughs and I hope one (or more) of them will help you make a shift so 2015 can be your best year yet.

Sales Mindset Breakthrough #1: Your #1 Limiting Belief About Sales is the EXACT Place You Stop During the Sales Conversation.

When I speak to a large group of entrepreneurs or sales professionals, I love to ask, “How many of you would like to double or triple your sales this year?” Inevitably, most of the people in the room raise their hands. However, when I ask, “How many of you are willing to do whatever it takes to double or triple your sales this year?” Only about 50% of the hands go up. Of the hands that DO go up, they go up very slowly and very painfully.

Why?

Because underlying this dream of doubling or tripling your sales is a belief that is in direct conflict with that goal. For example, even though you might want to double or triple your sales, when you think about the first thing you need to do, you come up against a reason, or belief, to not move forward. You might think, “Yes, I’d love to move forward, but I don’t want people to perceive me as pushy.” If that is your limiting belief, that people will perceive you as pushy if you call them or follow up multiple times, then you might not pick up the phone and you definitely won’t ask for the money.

What is your #1 limiting belief about selling? Notice how it stops you. Are you ready to let go of that limiting belief so you can reach your sales goal? Make a decision right now to let go of that limiting belief so it no longer stops you.

Sales Mindset Breakthrough #2: The “Thing” You Are Resisting Most is the Next Thing to Do.

Once you release your #1 limiting belief about selling, then it’s time to bust through to the next level. So, again, think about your sales stretch goal. Imagine that you have achieved that sales goal. Now, imagine a timeline in your mind that goes from the achieved sales goal all the way back to the first step. What is the first step (using your imagination) that you took to reach your goal?

That’s your first step.

Now, are you willing to take that first step.

Most people aren’t. We usually resist taking that first step that is right in front of us. We know what it is. We know exactly what it is. But we usually don’t want to take it because it scares us in some way.

The key is to take that first step—the one right in front of you—regardless of how much fear you feel. If you can take that step in spite of your fear, your sales stretch goal will come to you faster than you can imagine.

Sales Mindset Breakthrough #3: You Really Aren’t A Salesperson.

Feeling relieved? Good! One of the number one issues for sales professionals and entrepreneurs is that they have so many negative beliefs and connotations associated with being a salesperson. Once you break through #1 and #2 (above), then it’s time to work through this old mindset about salespeople.

“Well, Ursula,” you ask, “if I’m not a sales person, then what am I?”

You, my friend, are a Persistent Problem Solver (PPS). And if you are persistent, then you aren’t pushy either. Do you see how this new belief clears out #1, #2 and #3 for you?

Because, if you can believe deeply that you are a PPS who gets paid well, and not a salesperson, who would you be willing to pick up the phone and call? And who would you call after that? And after that? Create a list of the top ten individuals or companies you would call and begin calling today.

Which one of these sales mindset breakthroughs resonated with you? (Maybe it was all three.) Why?

Now that you have the awareness, the next step is to take the next step that’s in front of you. I encourage you to take that step you haven’t wanted to take, so you can have a complete breakthrough.

I’ve quoted Eleanor Roosevelt many times because she has sage advice. She said, “You must do that thing you think you cannot do.” That’s the next step and I promise you there is peace and prosperity on the other side!